The term “cold-chain” refers to the specific temperature requirements of vaccines and antibiotics during transportation and storage, typically between 2-8ºC. In both industrialized countries and developing countries the cold-chain delivery system can account for 80% of the cost of vaccination. Vaxess, a Boston start-up company, is in the process of developing temperature stable vaccines and antibiotics using silk proteins. Silk fibroin comes from the silkworm cocoon. It forms strong Β-sheet polymers that stabilize bioactive compounds that would otherwise degrade. The silk fibroin has also been shown to be biocompatible and degrade into non-toxic products making it a desirable alternative to preservatives currently used in the manufacturing of vaccines and antibiotics. How do you believe this will this change the accessibility and cost of vaccines and antibiotics for public health programs in the future?